Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!
The chirping of crickets reminds us of sun and vacation. If it comes from your own four walls, it is an annoying nuisance. And you want to get rid of the unwanted roommates quickly. Unfortunately, this is not so easy, because the house cricket is a clever insect. Since they are not seen during the day, fighting or driving away the pests is made even more difficult. Nevertheless, there are home remedies that will help you in the fight against plague.
house cricket
House crickets, also known as house crickets, belong to the cricket family (Gryllidae). Of the more than 100 different species, the house cricket (Acheta domesticus) in particular likes to settle near human settlements. Since the insects grow to a maximum size of 20 millimeters, their intrusion into the house and apartment is often only noticed when the sexually mature males start their song, the famous chirping. The harmless house crickets are not pests in the true sense, but rather nuisances, since their nocturnal singing can rob us humans of sleep. If the insects also attack food, then the fun stops for many.
Look
The basic color of the body of the winged house cricket is straw yellow to yellow-brown. Pronotum and head are drawn dark brown to black. Although males and females differ in terms of the markings on the forewings, apart from that, no difference can be seen with the naked eye.
life cycle
Without protection, the house cricket does not survive the German winter outdoors. That is why human dwellings are also popular living spaces for the insects, because it is warm there and the animals also find food there. If the females were attracted by the chirping, they lay 1,100 to 2,600 eggs two to three days after mating, depending on the diet of the female beforehand, whereby the number of eggs laid is far greater after animal diet than with vegetable diet. The eggs themselves are 0.3 by 2.3 millimeters long and are preferably laid in moist soil, leftover vegetables (organic waste!), sawdust, but also in carpets (fluffy) or in cracks in wood (floors and walls). Depending on the temperature, the new generation hatches after about 8.5 to 54 days. Depending on the temperature and food supply, the larvae then grow into adult animals in 87 to 126 days.
feeding behavior and habitats
House crickets are omnivores, but prefer animal food. Therefore, food and waste are also on their menu. Preferred habitats in the human four walls are warm rooms that also offer the insects food, such as cardboard or textiles. These include, for example:
- boiler rooms
- pantries
- living rooms
tip: In the garden, in addition to their natural habitats, they will enjoy rubbish bins or compost heaps.
Get rid of crickets
To clean
Before you start setting up the traps, you should thoroughly clean the affected rooms with hot water and appropriate cleaning agents to deprive the house crickets of their food base. This makes it easier for the "hungry" insects to fall into the trap. Thorough cleaning also removes eggs that have already been laid. In order to get the eggs well, you should go to one vacuum cleaner with high performance, because this sucks the offspring not only out of carpets, but also out of cracks and joints.
tip: After vacuuming, remove the vacuum cleaner bag from the vacuum cleaner and dispose of it wrapped in a plastic bag.
Measures and home remedies
Because crickets are nocturnal insects, we rarely see them. Therefore, measures must be taken against the pests, luring them out of hiding so that they fall into the trap. The actual fighting takes place during the night.
honey and molasses
Although house crickets prefer animal foods, they have a passion for sweets. You can take advantage of this fact when fighting.
Place molasses or honey in a shallow bowl with water and place near where the crickets are likely to be hiding. If you smell the mixture, jump into the bowl to get to the molasses. The water prevents them from escaping and the animals drown.
tip: Refresh the mixture regularly and remove dead insects.
sticky traps
To make a sticky trap yourself, you need double-sided tape and honey or sugar as an attractant. Apply the tape generously in front of the supposed hiding places of the house crickets. Then apply sugar or honey, the latter sticks better, to the tape. Immediately remove insects that have fallen into the trap together with the adhesive tape, so that fellow animals are not "warned" by the dead animals.
Secure food supplies
Although house crickets are not picky about food, they do prefer food to boxes. You should therefore clean the pantry well and fill the supplies in well-closable containers. A natural barrier helps you keep the animals away from the food:
- Brush vinegar around the food
- sprinkle with hot pepper
Because they fail to overcome this natural barrier, they are deprived of their food source. In this way you can drive away the insects, because sooner or later they will look for “better” quarters.
Prevent
Once the unwanted guests have settled in, getting rid of the animals is often not that easy. Therefore, preventive measures should be taken so that the insects do not make themselves comfortable with you in the first place.
House and garden
Crickets slip inside through the smallest cracks. Therefore, all holes, cracks and gaps in house walls, doors and windows should be sealed tightly. Woodpiles and compost heaps should be placed further away from the house if possible. Regular cleaning of roof and rain gutters deprives insects of popular breeding grounds.
Because crickets thrive in tall grass, you should clean the lawn mow regularly. If shrubs and bushes are regularly thinned out, they are less attractive to crickets. Garbage cans should always be well closed, both indoors and outdoors.
light sources
Crickets are attracted to light. You should therefore avoid permanent lighting in the vicinity of the house. For evening hours on the balcony, subdued light sources are recommended, such as special lamps against insects. If living rooms are only aired in the evening or during the night in summer, you should switch off the light or at least draw the curtains, because crickets misunderstand fully lit living rooms as an invitation to move in with you.